EVALUATION: BASED ON ALL AVAILABLE DATA A DESTRUCTIVE PACIFIC-WIDE TSUNAMI IS NOT EXPECTED AND THERE IS NO TSUNAMI THREAT TO HAWAII. REPEAT. A DESTRUCTIVE PACIFIC-WIDE TSUNAMI IS NOT EXPECTED AND THERE IS NO TSUNAMI THREAT TO HAWAII.

THIS WILL BE THE ONLY STATEMENT ISSUED FOR THIS EVENT UNLESS ADDITIONAL DATA ARE RECEIVED.

Evaluation: Based on all available data a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected and there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii. Repeat. A destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected and there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii.

This will be the only statement issued for this event unless additional data are received.

The U.S. Geological Survey originally reported the quake at a 7.0 magnitude but later revised the reading down. The tremor struck offshore about 6:16 p.m. at a depth of 20 kilometers (12 1/2 miles). Its epicenter was 60 kilometers (37 miles) northwest of Iquique, Chile.

The USGS said the earthquake was followed by a 5.1 tremor and three 4.9 quakes in the same area.

Chile’s navy said there had been a possibility of a minor tsunami between the northern towns of Arica and Tocopilla, so authorities urged people to evacuate along a stretch of coast where the Arica and Parinacota region adjoins the Tarapaca region. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there did not appear to be a threat of a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami.

Franz Schmauck, Arica and Parinacota regional director of Chile’s ONEMI emergency services office, told state TV that no damage was registered except for broken windows on some homes.

ONEMI’s national director, Ricardo Toro, told reporters later that about 80,000 people were evacuated in the Tarapaca region, 3,000 in Arica and Parinacota region and 22,000 in Antofagasta region. He said the sea had risen only about 32 centimeters (almost 13 inches).

The navy said the evacuation alert was lifted about three hours after the initial quake.

Chile is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries. A magnitude-8.8 quake and the tsunami it unleashed in 2010 killed more than 500 people, destroyed 220,000 homes, and washed away docks, riverfronts and seaside resorts.

The strongest earthquake ever recorded also happened in Chile, a magnitude-9.5 tremor in 1960 that killed more than 5,000 people.

___

Associated Press writer Luis Andres Henao contributed to this report.

PTWC Evaluation update: Sea level readings indicate a tsunami was generated. It may have been destructive along coasts within 200 km of the earthquake epicenter. For those areas – when no major waves are observed for two hours after the earthquake then local authorities can assume the threat is passed. Danger to boats and coastal structures can continue for several hours due to the rapid currents. As local conditions can cause a wide variation in tsunami wave action the all clear determination must be made by local authorities.

No tsunami threat exists for other coastal areas in the Pacific although some other areas may experience small non-destructive sea level changes lasting up to several hours. This will be the final bulletin issued for this event unless additional information becomes available.

Evaluation:Based on all available data a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected and there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii. Repeat. A destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected and there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii.

This will be the only statement issued for this event unless additional data are received.

]]>http://khon2.com/2014/03/13/6-1m-earthquake-strikes-japan-no-tsunami-risk/feed/0Thu, 13 Mar 2014 18:50:49 +0000USGSlinrobbiebyrdDepth, distance reduce impact of California quakehttp://khon2.com/2014/03/09/ptwc-7-0m-earthquake-off-northern-calif-no-tsunami-threat/
http://khon2.com/2014/03/09/ptwc-7-0m-earthquake-off-northern-calif-no-tsunami-threat/#commentsMon, 10 Mar 2014 05:51:01 +0000http://khon2.com/?p=26348]]>EUREKA, Calif. (AP) — One of the largest earthquakes to hit California in decades rattled the state’s northern coast, but its depth and distance from shore reduced the impact on land, where there were no reports of injuries or damage, scientists and authorities said on Monday.

The magnitude-6.9 quake struck at 10:18 p.m. PDT Sunday and was centered 50 miles west of Eureka and about 10 miles beneath the Pacific seabed, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. By late Monday morning, it had already produced 20 aftershocks of magnitude-3.5 or larger, and more were expected over the coming days, said Keith Knudsen, deputy director of the USGS’s Earthquake Science Center in Menlo Park, Calif.

Knudsen said there was also a 5 to 10 percent chance of a larger quake in the area in the next week.

Sunday’s quake was felt widely across the region, but both fire and sheriff’s officials in Humboldt County said they had no reports of any damage or injuries. Humboldt County includes most of the populated areas closest to the epicenter.

“Everybody felt it region-wide to the point that there was concern for damage,” said Humboldt County Sheriff’s Lt. Steve Knight. But other than triggering some home alarms, the county escaped unharmed, he said. “We’re very grateful.”

There was no tsunami danger for the region as well, according to the National Tsunami Warning Center.

More than 3,000 people reported on the USGS website that they felt the quake within hours of it striking, including some across the border in Oregon.

“It was a big bump and then it rolled for about 30 seconds,” said Diana Harralson, 64, who lives in an apartment in Rio Dell, about 55 miles southeast of the earthquake’s epicenter. “It was a real good shaker.”

Harralson said some knickknacks fell off the wall, but there was no damage. A California native who has experienced other earthquakes, she said she and her cat slept comfortably through the night.

Amandip Heer, a manager at a 76 Gas Station and convenience store in Eureka, described the quake as a “vibration,” but said nothing fell off the shelves at the store, and there was no other damage.

Earthquakes are very common in Eureka, a city of about 27,000 people about 270 miles northwest of San Francisco and 100 miles south of the Oregon state line. Nearby Arcata is home to about 17,000 people and Humboldt State University.

Since 1980, there have been 10 earthquakes greater than magnitude-6 in the area, Knudsen said. California has experienced at least seven earthquakes of magnitude-6.9 over the same period, according to the USGS.

Sunday’s quake was far enough from shore to allow much of its energy to dissipate, Knudsen said.

“We’re fortunate it didn’t strike closer to a populated area,” he said.

An offshore earthquake of magnitude-7.2 about 30 miles southwest of Eureka in 1992 left 95 people injured and caused tens of millions of dollars in damage, according to the USGS. The earthquake was felt as far south as San Francisco.

It was followed by a magnitude-6.5 earthquake about 12 hours later and a magnitude-6.7 earthquake a few hours after that, both of which caused additional damage.

Based on all available data a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected and there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii. Repeat. A destructive Pacific-wide Tsunami is not expected and there is no tsunami threat to hawaii.

This will be the only statement issued for this event unless additional data are received.

]]>http://khon2.com/2014/03/09/ptwc-7-0m-earthquake-off-northern-calif-no-tsunami-threat/feed/0Mon, 10 Mar 2014 05:51:01 +0000PTWClinrobbiebyrdMagnitude 6.7 earthquake hits north of Okinawahttp://khon2.com/2014/03/02/magnitude-6-7-earthquake-hits-north-of-okinawa/
http://khon2.com/2014/03/02/magnitude-6-7-earthquake-hits-north-of-okinawa/#commentsSun, 02 Mar 2014 21:49:56 +0000http://khon2.com/?p=25245]]>NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. Geological Service says a magnitude 6.7 earthquake has struck in the East China Sea north of the Japanese island of Okinawa.

The USGS said the quake occurred at 4:11 a.m. Monday (20:11 GMT Sunday) with its epicenter located 68 miles (110 kilometers) north-northwest of Nago, a tourist town in the northern Okinawa Island near a U.S. Marine Base. Its depth was given as 69.8 miles (112.3 kilometers).

The U.S. National Weather Service’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says no tsunami is expected. There are no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Based on all available data a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected and there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii. Repeat. A destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected and there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii.

This will be the only statement issued for this event unless additional data are received.

Evaluation: Based on all available data a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected and there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii. Repeat. A destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected and there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii.

This will be the only bulletin issued for this event unless additional information becomes available.

Officials held a video teleconference with the counties Saturday afternoon to make sure emergency crews are ready to go if needed.

They’ve been keeping in touch with the counties to make sure they’re prepared and have the latest update on the storm.

“Right now we’re in close coordination with the counties to make sure that we’re in support of what they’re activities are right now,” State Civil Defense Executive officer Vernon Miyagi said.

“Flossie is moving into cold water now there some sheer that may potentially weaken it nature is unpredictable so even though we hope for the best we’re planning for the worst,” State Adjutant General Major Darryll Wong said.

Residents should be prepared, as some areas could see heavy flooding and strong winds.

According to the National Weather Service, Flossie could sustain winds up to 60 miles per hour.

The Coast Guard has provided guidelines for mariners to remember:

Stay informed: Mariners should monitor the progress and strength of the storm through newspapers, the internet and local television and radio stations. Boaters can monitor its progress on VHF channel 16. Small craft advisories and warnings are also broadcast on VHF channel 16.

Evacuate as necessary: Mariners are urged to heed evacuation orders. Coast Guard personnel and other emergency responders may not be able to assist mariners in danger during a storm.

Secure your boats and boating equipment: Owners of large boats are urged to move their vessels to protected marinas where they will be less likely to break free of their moorings or to be otherwise damaged. Trailerable boats should be pulled from the water and stored in a place that is not prone to flooding. Those mariners who leave their boats in the water are reminded to secure life rings, life jackets and tenders.

Be cautious of hazardous materials: If you have hazardous materials on or near the water, you are responsible for any spills that may occur. Take the necessary precautions to secure these materials prior to any foul weather.

Stay clear of beaches: Even the best swimmers can fall victim to the strong waves and rip currents caused by storms. Swimmers are urged to stay clear of beaches until local officials say the water is safe.

For more information on hurricane preparedness, please visit the National Hurricane Center’s website.

]]>http://khon2.com/2013/07/26/coast-guard-urging-mariners-residents-to-prepare-for-flossie/feed/0Sat, 27 Jul 2013 01:46:11 +0000NOAA ECPAC IRlinrobbiebyrd7.3 magnitude earthquake north of the Solomon Islands, no tsunami threathttp://khon2.com/2013/07/07/7-3-magnitude-earthquake-north-of-the-solomon-islands-no-tsunami-threat/
http://khon2.com/2013/07/07/7-3-magnitude-earthquake-north-of-the-solomon-islands-no-tsunami-threat/#commentsSun, 07 Jul 2013 19:44:18 +0000http://www.khon2.com/?p=14177]]>The National Weather Service Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach released a statement that based on all available data a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected and there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii.

The earthquake had the preliminary parameters below:

Origin time – 08:36 a.m. HST 07 Jul 2013

Coordinates – 3.8 south 154.0 east

Location – north of the Solomon Islands

Magnitude – 7.3 moment

*Note the USGS and Pacific Tsunami Warning Center may have slightly different information as magnitude is adjusted when more data is collected.